Membrane biotreatment

Abstract

A method of biological waste treatment with membrane separation of biomass having at least one chemical and/or biological oxidizing step and at least one chemical and/or biological reducing step, and further comprising a step of charging at least one recuperable oxidation-reduction specie selected from transitional elements, for example, iron ions, wherein biomass generation is reduced and biomass-water separation improve.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of biological treatment with membrane separation of biomass from mixed liquor wherein at least one oxidizing step and at least one reducing step are provided.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said biological treatment is selected from the group consisting of odor control system, air pollution control system, wastewater treatment plant, sewers, solid waste treatment system, solid waste collection and transfer system, system for management of animal waste, system for managing agricultural waste, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one oxidizing step is selected from the group consisting of chemical oxidation, biological oxidation, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said oxidizing step is conducted with an oxidant selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorites, nitrates, nitrites, oxygen, ozone, permanganates, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one reducing step is selected from the group consisting of chemical reduction, biological reduction, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said reducing step is conducted with a reductant selected from the group consisting of sulfites, sulfides, hypophosphates, organics, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  and further providing a step of charging at least one recuperable oxidation-reduction specie.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one recuperable oxidation-reduction specie is a transitional element.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said transitional elements are selected from the group comprising vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one recuperable oxidation-reduction specie is fed in said wastewater management system in form selected from the group comprising zero valence metals, metal salts, inorganic metal-containing compounds, organic metal-containing compounds, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  and further providing at least one step of re-oxidizing said recuperable oxidation-reduction specie.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one step of re-oxidizing said recuperable oxidation-reduction specie is conducted with an oxidizer selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorites, nitrates, oxygen, ozone, permanganates, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least one adsorbent and least one oxidation-reduction specie is provided in said sewer from said wastewater treatment plant.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said providing of at least one oxidation-reduction specie is conducted by means selected from a group consisting of a pipeline, a truck transportation, a rail transportation, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  and further providing an adsorbent in said biological treatment.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said adsorbent is selected from the group comprising activated carbon, synthetic resins, ion exchangers, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  and further providing a step of at least periodically cleaning said membrane by fluidizing at least one particulate medium around said membrane.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said particulate medium is selected from the group comprising mineral particulate materials, synthetic particulate materials, sand, garnet, ilmenite, coal, granular activated carbon, crashed glass, glass beads, plastic beads, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a step of stripping carbon dioxide is provided.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a step of charging at least one recuperable alkaline specie is provided.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said oxidizing steps and said reducing steps are selected from the group comprising se quential steps in sequencing batch reactor, alternating steps in sequencing batch reactor, consecutive steps in a multiple cell flow through reactor, consecutive steps in a multiple cell flow through reactor with flow recirculating, steps carried out in heterogeneous system, and combinations thereof.